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International law? Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger [remember the Nixon shock in 1971] made some dismissive comments about this in his book 'Diplomacy': "Empires have no interest in operating within an international system; they aspire to be the international system. Empires have no need for a balance of power. That is how the United States has conducted its foreign policy in the Americas, and China through most of its history in Asia."Read more

China does not have a long history for rule of law. Some may even question if China has a system of rule of law now. So on the issue of securing the rule of law, those countries who have a long history of rule of law (or least make such a claim) should set an example of rule of law for other countries to follow and not use the rule of law as tool for their own gains. Read more

Re the UN Law of the Sea, the US is not the only country refusing to surrender its sovereignty on property rights. Beijing has signed the treaty but then effectively unsigned it. In 2010 China's foreign minister insisted that the South China Sea is a "core national interest," adding: "China is a big country and other countries are small countries, and that is just a fact."Read more

To secure the rule of law at sea, the prime minister should persuade US to ratify UN Law of the Sea Convention first. After that, he may claim that Japan enjoys the explicit and enthusiastic support from US.Second, Japan should stop commercial whaling in waters claimed by other countries. After that, the prime minister may claim that "Japan stands for the rule of law -- for Asia and for all people".

As for dangerous encounters by fighter aircraft and vessels at sea, well, it takes two to tango.

The prime minister either overestimated his intelligence or underestimated the intelligence of others by double-talking the issue of rule of law. Read more

The United States, Australia and Japan should give a variety of aid such as perosonnel training, aircraft, vessels to Vietnam, the Philippines, Malyasia and the like so that they will be better equipped for maritime and aerial patrolling and law-enforcement.

I support Abe, though not with carte blanche. He should refrain from doing or uttering things that might be interpreted overseas as remilitarizing attempts. Instead, he should explain to the overseas audience how his security policy is in resonance with, and approved and encouraged by South East Asian countries and how Japanese secutity and foreign affairs experts are frequently meeting and talking with their counterparts from Washington, Canberra, Manila and so on. Read more

Prime Minister Abe writes: "Japan is in a better position than ever before to play a larger and more proactive role in ensuring peace in Asia and the world". Indeed he has China's rise and America's pivot to Asia to thank for it. It's unclear how much "explicit and enthusiastic support" Japan enjoys of its "allies and other friendly countries". Nevertheless it offers these countries its support in their territorial disputes with China. In most cases "Japan stands for the rule of law. Whether it also stands "for Asia and for all people", is polemic.It is true that many Asian countries are seeing economic growth. Hence it is important to enforce a legal framework to secure "regional peace and security". In this essay, Mr. Abe is appealing to "all governments in Asia and the Pacific" to respect international maritime law. China is a member of the International Martime Organisation and should uphold the martime treaty. In recent months its unilateral actions and gunboat diplomacy in South China Sea have made big waves. China's territorial claims are seen as questionable and it has been accused by the contesting parties of violating international maritime law. Mr. Abe has not accused China of violating maritime law in this essay, he is perhaps aware of the saying: "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Japan's whaling industry is also a contentious issue and Japanese whalers have often violated international maritime law, by hunting and killing whales in territorial waters, claimed by Australia and New Zealand. Greence Peace had disrupted a Japanese whaling fleet in the Antarctica in 2008. Its more radical peer, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society had been allegedly attacked by Japanese whalers last February in the Southern Ocean. Although whale hunting is part of what Japan calls a scientific research programme, permitted under a clause in International Whaling Commission rules, the same research goals could be achieved using non-lethal methods. This programme is said to be a front for commercial whaling, as every year hundreds of minke and fin whales are being killed. It is a pity that the relationship between China and Japan is so frayed that they can not implement "an agreement" signed in 2007, which would "create a maritime and air communication mechanism in order to prevent unforeseen incidents" resulting from "tensions and miscalculation".

If I read the tea leaves of Abe’s containment theory of China, in the Sea Lanes of Asia-Pacific region, I’ve a feeling he’s forgotten or misunderstood that Pivot to Asia actually means Pivot to China – for Obama. US will not take sides on the disputed territories in South China Sea. But, for Obama, the ultimate political/legal constraint remains US Senate opposition or lack of ratification of UN Law of the Sea Convention (10 December 1982). 165 countries have, so far, singed the UN Convention. Official rhetoric alone will not suffice against China, as Hagel recently did in Asia. Defense Dept is not the right party to deal with territorial conflict in South China Sea. Only State Dept is capable of dealing with it; however under GWB a lot of these subject matters were transferred to Defense….

Fact is that Abe’s Japan (along with Germany) is the largest trading partner of PRC. China knows that Japan can’t afford to misjudge the importance of its market to Tokyo. Neither does Japan have the naval military power to challenge China in South China Sea. So this sabre rattling by Abe is for what purpose? You don’t negotiate with Beijing by accusing it of maritime aggression. In other words, China demands Tokyo to stop its political propaganda – eg. visiting the (Fascist) Shrine – and admitting its historical mistakes as an occupation imperial power on mainland China. This seems to be the Chinese precondition; and then the political and diplomatic process can start.Read more

Ownership of property is a touchy subject. The refusal of countries to OK an international tribunal with power to enforce its judgments means continuing friction over the hundreds of territorial disputes around the world - including resource entitled areas like Ukraine, China seas and the Arctic. The US, among many, is unwilling to sign the UN's Law of the Sea Treaty; surrendering any sovereignty to the United Nations is something it wrestles with. Read more

Robert Skidelsky
on why the right economic policies cannot work without the right public expectations.

Project Syndicate provides readers with original, engaging, and thought-provoking commentaries by global leaders and thinkers. By offering incisive perspectives from those who are shaping the world's economics, politics, science, and culture, Project Syndicate has created an unrivaled global venue for informed public debate.